Writing to Read in the Portland Public Schools. 1983-84 Evaluation Report.

Deboe, Marty; And Others

Writing to Read is an instructional system with a language experience approach to developing early writing and reading skills for primary children. Designed for a laboratory setting, the system consists of computerized phoneme instruction, 10 student workbooks, and language development activities that emphasize writing as a preliminary activity to reading instruction. This formative evaluation documents the 1983-84 piloting of the Writing to Read system in 14 elementary and Early Childhood Education Centers in the Portland Public Schools, Oregon. Data were collected from: (1) program descriptions covering system management, Writing to Read stations, classroom adaptations, relation to the rest of the language arts curriculum, and teacher or building coordinator roles and responsibilities; (2) on-site observations of student and teacher behaviors; (3) monthly classroom progress records; (4) teacher opinionnaire; and (5) principal interviews on 14 topics. The evaluation recommendations for the Curriculum Department include: (1) clarifying the place of Writing to Read in the language arts program; (2) establishing pupil readiness criteria; (3) recognizing the self-management dimension and its effect on student outcomes; and (4) evaluating Writing to Read with alternative language lab systems. The appendices contain the data collection instruments, program descriptions, principals' comments, and classroom progress graphs. (BS)